Watch Love is Colder Than Death
- NR
- 1969
- 1 hr 28 min
-
6.5 (3,539)
Love is Colder Than Death is a 1969 German film directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder. The film revolves around a small-time criminal named Franz, played by Ulli Lommel, who works for a local gangster boss named Bruno. Franz becomes disillusioned with his life of crime and decides to strike out on his own. Along the way, he meets a prostitute named Joanna, played by Hanna Schygulla, and they begin a platonic relationship that is fraught with tension.
The movie is shot in black and white, and the stark, minimalist style of the film adds to the cold and detached atmosphere of the story. The film's pacing is slow and deliberate, which makes the sudden outbursts of violence all the more shocking.
Franz is a complex character, and his motivations are often unclear. He is a man who seems to be searching for meaning in his life, but he is not sure where to find it. He is often silent and detached, and his interactions with others are often strained and awkward.
Joanna, on the other hand, is a more open and emotional character. She is a prostitute who is looking for love but has trouble finding it. She is drawn to Franz because he seems to be different from the men she usually meets.
Katrin Schaake plays a small but important role in the film as a young woman who is caught up in the violent world of the gangsters. She is a tragic figure, and her fate is one of the film's most memorable scenes.
Love is Colder Than Death is a deeply philosophical film that explores themes of loneliness, alienation, and the search for meaning in life. The characters in the film are outsiders, searching for a sense of belonging in a world that seems to have rejected them.
One of the most striking aspects of the film is its use of music. The movie features a soundtrack of music by The Pogues, which seems like an odd choice for a film set in the 1960s. However, the music adds to the film's sense of alienation and dislocation.
Love is Colder Than Death is a challenging film that demands a lot from its audience. It is not an easy film to watch, but it is ultimately rewarding. The film is a powerful meditation on the human condition, and it is a testament to the talent of Fassbinder, Lommel, Schygulla, and the rest of the cast and crew.